Another Romance

Chapter 18- Raining Hearts

Heavy rain falls that month of October. It's been three days since the class was suspended. Three days passed since Faight and Lance seen each other. busy days are in between the two of them but exchange of messages and calls didnt hinder their unknown closeness.

Twenty four hours passed and the wind blows that worried her without Lance's replies.

"hi? kamusta ka dyan?" (delete)

"uhm Lance huyyy! naanod kana ba ng baha?" (delete delete)

"Lance, okay ka lang ba?" (delete delete delete)

"shit ano ba Faight mangangamusta ka lang pabebe kapa!"

"ARUY JUSKO!" with a loud and shocking voice she hurried outside to her veranda when she saw how flooded the floor is.

"ano ba naman yan nasa third floor kana binabaha kapa din, ano na?!"

She swipe the water with a dustpan down to her balcony.

"grabe na itey, parang hindi nababawasan"

When she reached the edge of the balcony, she saw someone that made her double checked. It is Lance, standing outside down her aprtement wearing a raincoat beside his already muddy truck.

He waved hello at Faight and she signaled Lance to wait.

Faight rushed down the stairs and went to him with a huge umbrella.

"uy! anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"just checking if you're okay" He responded with a gentle and comforting smile

"ahh... uhm akala ko naanod kana ah!" She punched Lance's chest while her face blushes "aray, he he, ang tigas pala"

"Faight" Lance held her fist opened her palm and placed it on his chest "nandito ako sa harap mo okay ako"

She quickly removed her hand out of shame

"ah.. yeah sabi ko nga, ikaw pa!"

"so pano alis na ako"

"ha? sa...saan ka pupunta? uuwi kana?"

"sa city proper"

"kila Doc Sam? bakit may nangyari ba at ngayoon ka talaga pupunta? bumabagyo ah"

"I'm going to help him distribute some medicines and groceries sa mga naapektuhan ng lanslide... so I'll go ahead"

"wait, Lance!"

"yes?" as he opens the truck's door

"sasama ako"

Without letting him answer anything Faight lead herself on the passenger seat.

"oh, may sasabihin kapa ba?"

Lance shook his head and smiled

"Wala po madaam"

As they traveled the road that was rough a week beforfe now turned muddy and slippery, they see families with little children evacuates their areas. Some are pulling their farm horse stucked in a pool of mud, few rode their carabaos and some even carries their chickens and dogs.

"hey, don't worry too much"  Lance said to comfort Faight's already worried face

"why will i not be worried? I mean look at them, saan sila pupunta after these? sa schools, sa warehouse? saan?"

"they'll be back"

"saan? sa mga bahay nila lupa nila? sira na nga diba? paano nila babalikan kung sira-sira na?"

"nasira oo pero hindi naman nawala"

"what do you mean? pagtyatyagaan nilang ayusin ganon? tapos mauulit nanaman sa susunod na taon?'

"May mga bagay namang pwedeng balik-balikan lalo na kung kaya pa namang ayusin"

"hindi sila napapagod?"

"dito na sila lumaki tumanda nagkapamilya yung ibang lupain minana pa nila sa ninuno nila"

"pero may mga maliliit silang anak, hindi ba nila naisip yon? may mga pabahay naman ang gobyerno o magbenta sila ng lupa"

"may mga gumawa na non"

"oh, bakit hindi nila gawin din?"

"dito sila mas kumportable"

"kumportable? you call this comfortable?"

"for me? no, but for them? yes" "we stay in a place where we feel comfortable even if it's painful or troublesome, we are afraid to move to another kasi we don't know what lies in there, we are unsure, everything is vague. Kaya minsan kahit masakit kahit paulit ulit, we stay kasi alam na natin ang mangyayari eh, sanay na tayo"

"ayaw nila ng pagbabago?"

"may mga takot sa pagbabago dahil walang kasiguraduhan sa mundo. You have to be brave to have change"

"but the kids, I'm worried about the kids. kung adults fine gets ko, but do they need to suffer the same fate as their guardians?"

"when we talk about their welfare of course, unfair sa kanila yon... Faight, I know how worried you are It's normal, but try not to let them see that lalo na pag magvo-volunteer ka. look at them, look at their faces"

Faight watches the kids laugh and play even under the heavy rain.

"they're laughing"

"yes...well! I guess we can never really tell a person how to live their lives, their own journey, own pacing. It maybe slow, but they'll get there"

"and what if they don't"

"then it's meant to end there"

"urgh... Life's choices I cannot fathom some of it but if there's something na natututunan ko everyday sa mga studyante ko, kila Diego and sa mga batang ito is, circumstances are inevitable we just have to learn and love how to dance under its rain.

Lance smile and nod in agreement. That afternoon they traveled their way on to the city of Malaybalay to give aid to the refugees.